STATS

TOURNEY BRACKETS

There's nothing wrong with being 5'8" and 150 pounds, but if you happen to be a division one men's lacrosse team and that seems to be the uniform tale of the tape, you might be in for a little trouble. Every Delaware player was clearly bigger, and at least as fast, as every single player on the field for Hartford. And Hartford did have some guys with wheels. Tracy Kelusky must be a hell of player (and it must have been pretty muddy the first time), because these were teams in two different leagues tonight.

Bendig started off the scoring for Hartford with a nasty underhanded lefty rip from 2 yards inside the restraining line. Jason Lavey answered a minute later with an uncontested 7 yard rip off of a botched Hartford clear. Lavey then dished one out from the left wing another minute later when RC Reed burned down the middle on a Delaware man-up and finished low and away. Hartford, who still looking good at this point, tied it at two's when goalie Roarke Greene fired off a bullet to Bendig around midfield, which he drove down the right side with, dished it to Branca on the wing and got right back in front of Mullin for a point blank. Both teams were showing great ball movement around the perimeter -- it was the kind of "lets whip it around as fast as we can" mentality that opened up some holes in Hartford's zone, and led the Hens to get a couple steps behind on their defensive end. But it was Delaware that was able to take advantage of it.

Two consecutive man-ups for Delaware led to two rips -- RC Reed beat Greene from 15 yards out to the stickside hip, and Metzbower pinged the upper left from the same spot. Meanwhile, Keevin Galbraith and John Ciliberto were raping guys left and right -- Delaware was able to make Hartford's middies up top run for their lives when they were sicked on them. Btw, Ciliberto and Spallina are in a class of their own when it comes to long stick middies; I haven't seen anyone close this year.

Hartford came right back when Bendig ripped another underhanded lefty from the same spot as before, and Branca tied it up on a bull dodge from the left wing, which he nicely turned into an inside roll on the over-extending defender. Hartford was pumped, and I thought I was in for a great game at 4-4, but it would be the last time on the board for Hartford in nearly 2 quarters.

Lavey started the onslaught with a sneak from behind on Hartford's zone. Metzbower stuck one from two yards out off of a perfectly timed, patient feed from Lavey. Pupura ripped it from the top of the box. Wertheimer coverted a tight cross field pass from Metzbower. RC Reed, while Hartford was shuuting everyone off, got a step on his man down the left side, and ducked under for a quick finish. Mind you, about 5 minutes just passed during all that, and adding to Hartford's woes were the fact that Motta was completely dominating face-offs and Hartford's O, when they eventually got the ball, would take a ridiculous shot that Mullen invariably sent the other way (towards the Hawk's tired D). Maybe Hartford would regroup after the half?

Nope. Dave Christopher added to the carnage just 30 seconds in with a drive from the left wing. RC Reed ripped an overhander to the upper right as he drove across the top. A streaking Motta, on a clear, hits Lavey on the crease, who turns and shoots. Lavey tracks down an errant clearing pass, does a buttonhook underneath 2 Hartford defenders for a score. Motta (3 seconds later) takes the face and bolts staright ahead for a dish to Fielding Crawford. It was now happy-fun-time for Delaware just 6 minutes into the third. Defensemen were lingering a little longer than they normally would in the offensive end, all the attackmen were laughing when they scored, and everything seemed to become conspicuously more "pretty". Anyways, aside from some meaningless goals near the end, that was it.

Many will tell you because of Keluskey, Hartford lost this game. The main reason is because Hartford's star defensemen from Long Island did not score as much as to what we are accustomed to. This kid is a gem and he has serious game. Great year

I will let you know why Hartford did not win. No star defender, no dice. You know who I am talking about. The star defender for Hartford from Long Island. He is only a frosh but he was damn good last night

harford best player is tracey kleusy by far, i played them and i don't even remember the player you are talking about, kleusy should be an all-american. He is there whole team, llamesrto good. but hartford played a lot of weak games and that hurt them because they did not play a lot highly skilled players or programs.

You are very right. Keluskey is a damn good player, maybe one of the best in the country, yet their young defensemen from Long Island had an excellent freshmen season. It's good to see that I am not the only one that realized Keluskey could play this year. Great year

I hate to agree with screwball on this one, as he is obviously generally uninformed, but in this case, he is so damn correct. I happened to check out the America East playoff game at the University of Delaware on Wednesday night, and by God, I was impressed. Granted, Hartford's goalie played like he was made of swiss cheese and the squad was without Kelusky, but that freshman defender is something else. His presence, both physically and emotionally, as well as his Gait-like stick skills make him a player to watch in college lacrosse. Indeed, Hartford's Sean Wall, the aforementioned freshman defenseman from Long Island, just might be the second coming of Jim Brown.

harford best player is tracey kleusy by far, i played them and i don't even remember the player you are talking about, kleusy should be an all-american. He is there whole team, llamesrto good. but hartford played a lot of weak games and that hurt them because they did not play a lot highly skilled players or programs.

Many people can point fingers, make excuses, but it all boils down to one thing...WHO the hell plays for Hartford?, NO ONE. No one from Hartford should make all american, that would just disgrace the game. Hartford sucks, its that simple. If their Star defenseman had half a brain, and was good as everyone says he is, his @$$ wouldn't be playing at hartford